Kasargod (Kerala), June 11 (IANS) A school handbook, which has a picture of frog in place of Mahatma Gandhi, has become a cause of embarrassment for education officials in Kasargod district of Kerala. The handbook, issued to the students of classes 5 to 9 here, has a picture of a green frog corresponding to the date Oct 2. The heading above the picture clearly says ‘Gandhi jayanti’ (the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi) and a quote from Gandhi is printed below the picture.

The goof-up comes at a time when the opposition parties have been alleging that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala has chosen to highlight communist struggles rather than the Indian freedom struggle and communist leaders instead of national icons like Mahatma Gandhi in the new textbooks.

“The curriculum revision carried out this year is politically motivated. All new books denigrate national leaders, while highlighting the role of local political leaders. This should stop,” said K. Velayudhan, the state president of the Government School Teachers’ Union which owes allegiance to the opposition Congress party.

When contacted, the education department authorities said the mistake appeared only in Kasargod district. The printing of the handbook for each of the districts was done locally.

The officials now plan to take back the copies of the book from students. They said they would return the book after sticking Gandhi’s picture over that of frog.